Neymar completed Real Madrid medical prior to Barcelona move, admits Florentino Perez

Perez said that it was the 12-time European Cup winners who pulled the plug on the deal

Neymar ended up joining Barcelona despite completing his Real Madrid medical (Getty)

Neymar passed a medical for Real Madrid prior to signing for Barcelona, according to the La Liga club’s president Florentino Perez.

The Brazilian joined Barca in 2013 and has gone on to form one of the most potent attacks in football alongside his fellow South Americans Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

But he could well have been lining up alongside Cristiano Ronaldo instead, only for Real Madrid to pull the plug on the transfer right at the end.

“Neymar passed a medical with Madrid. We tried for him to come, but we saw at one point that it was not possible and we withdrew (from the deal),” Perez told Spanish radio station Onda Cero.

As a result, the 12-time European Champions decided to sign Gareth Bale from Tottenham for a then world-record transfer fee of £86m.

Bale has been linked with leaving the Bernabeu after starting the Champions League final in his hometown of Cardiff following a tough campaign, despite winning his third European Cup in four seasons in Spain.

But Perez defended Bale with his injuries and insisted the Welshman had just been unlucky.

“Bale’s tendons went,” he added. “He had bad luck this season, but he has given us much satisfaction.”